Using a KS Blade pricking iron. Following a wing divider markline, I punch through following the line exactly and proves to create a straight line on the side I am punching through. (picture 1)
However the back side(picture 2) is often veering off to the edge of the leather.
I ensure the blades are plum, level, straight and all that carefulness. I just can't seem to escape this mistake.
Perhaps the layers of leather are moving? Should I wait longer for the adheisive to take a stronger hold? I waited about 6-7 minutes before starting the process. Leaving it clamped with strong steel clips.
I've been doing Leathercraft for about 6-7 months and this hurdle seems to be one of my greatest threats. Stitching takes time and perhaps this does too, but I'm not sure how to avoid this problem.
I hope somebody can make sense of this post and help me out. It's such a bummer.
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Here are some happier photos. All Hand dyed, cut and stitched :) I am proud really, this is an incredibly difficult art to get neat let alone perfect. Hat's off to ALL of you!
Thank you all so much for your help! I've got a half tidy awl which I think I'm going to learn to use properly then perhaps invest further.
I'm going to try a bunch of different things too and I'll see which improves my results.
The irons still do great at 2 layers, maybe 3. Once there are too many pieces involved, then maybe it's time to go to the traditional method!
Much love!
Hi Max,
I used to have the same exact issue when I would use pricking irons to punch completely through. I resolved this issue completely by learning to use a stitching awl. It takes some practice, but the end result is everything you want it to be. Use the pricking irons to do just what their name suggests; prick the leather to make an indentation. Then using any quality awl, you can push the rest of the way through to the other side. This method straightened my inside stitch lines right up:)
Hope this helps!
For starters, like Philip said,I would practice the 1st solution. A few hours and you will get used to angling the iron and it will become second nature.
Some great answers there guys!
@Max Sandrone The reason this is happening is due to physics. If you smack a pricking iron through leather, all things being equal it will travel straight down if it is perpendicular to the leather.
Things become different when you are mere millimetres from the edge however, as all things are no longer equal.
When you smack a pricking iron through leather near an edge, there is more mass and therefore more resistance coming from the inside of the piece compared to the side near the edge.
This means that the moment the iron is smacked, it travels down AND towards the side of least resistance - the edge. You'd need a high speed camera to see it.
This is worse in thicker leather, where the iron has more distance to travel laterally.
This down and lateral movement is what causes the rear side to be precariously close to the edge.
So now we know the problem, more importantly, what is the solution?
1) As @Terry Millard mentioned, adding 1-2 ° with the handle tipped towards the edge can help to counteract the tendency to travel laterally. Problem is, you have to be very consistent in this.
2) Bring the seam further away from the edge so that there is more mass and resistance on the side closest to the edge. But this is not always desirable.
3) Prick leather - use awl
I hope this helps.
Phil
Hi Max, I had the same issue. I thought I was going in perfectly straight but for some reason the backside stitches were close to edge. I started slightly angling the stitching iron away from the backside edge and it resolved the issue. I think the issue might be how I’m striking the iron. Maybe I‘m hitting it at an angle and don’t realize it.
@mackeroony Hey There! Thank you for taking the time to post here.
We would all very much appreciate it if you could introduce yourself HERE and tell us a little about you and your journey in leathercraft. That way we will have a sense of who we are talking to.
In the mean time can you remove some of the dead space in your post? Upon opening it there is just a blank space until you scroll down.
Regarding your issue, I will wait for the gang to chime in and give their opinions.
Cheers,
Phil